Snatch block



1 Sept. 21, 1948.

SNATCH BLOCK Filed Oct. 29, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Us! 2 o Ihm Ill) c. H. RUE 2,449,718`

Fiq. 1 v n Fiel. 11 Y l c 5 nUzn or Sept. 21, 1948. c. H. RUE 2,449,718

sNATcH BLOCK Filed oct. 29, 1945 2 sheets-sheet 2 wires to be stretched yowrrrso STAT-Es i! PATENT OFFICE- sNATcH BLOCK I U CharlesH. Rue`,Fargo,N.I)ak. 4 v Application october 29, 1945, serial No. 625,222

201mm` 101254-194) I.

:In the stringing of overhead wires for power A lines it is necessary to stretch or, as itis com- Inonly termed, sag the wires to take the slack out of 'them before they are permanently fastened to the insulating hangers. This is usually done by suspending the wires or cables from sheaves of snatch blocks so that sagging of the wire to take out the slack may be readily done, with the wires traversing the snatch blocks disposed at successive insulating hangers, the readily rotatable sheaves of the snatch blocks permitting the drag.

Under present practices it is customary to suspend snatch b-locks of the ordinary hook-suspen- Sion type -by means of chains from successive insulator supporting cross-bars, which operation is cumbersome, in that the linesman must place the chains on cross-bars; secure the snatch blocks to the bars in proper relation to the insulators, and, after sagging has been done, snatch block and chain must be removed and the wire or cable secured to the insulator.

The present invention has for its purpose the provision of a snatch block so constructed and arranged that it may be readily and quickly engaged with and disengaged from the usual insulator support, and the necessity of extraneous supporting means to hold the block in proper position for handling the wires to take out slack is `done away with. 4

In the drawings herewith, which form part of this disclosure, yand in the description which follows, one physical embodiment of the invention is set forth, but this is illustrative and not limiting, as the invention may be worked out in other and equivalent ways. In the claims appended to the specification the invention is defined with particularity.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a snatch block embodying the invention, Ian insulator hanger being indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a view in end elevation of the snatch block, a hanger button being indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a view in section substantially on the 1 ine 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 shows a hanger button whichis engaged by the snatch block.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the button engaging bail of the block.

Referring to the drawings by numbers, the same numbers designating the same parts in the several views, the snatch block frame I0 may be without undue friction or` i substantially .Ushaped and of any suitable con-f struction. The frame has the spindle` II mounted4 therein on which is mounted the sheave I'2, grooved to receive 'a wire or cable.

Mounted on the frame I0 is a bai-l I3, said bail being preferably pivoted at I4 to one of the limbs of the frame I0. The other end of the bail I3 is shorter so as to provide an entrance for the wire and permit it to be brought into engagement with the sheave I2. The entrance or side cpening to the bail will be closed by a link I6?, pivoted -at I 'I to the short limb of the bail and adapted to engage a hook formation I8 on the other limb of the frame I0. This makes a complete closure of the bail so as to maintain the wire in place, and provides a balanced support for the snatch block to ensure its suspension in straight, undistorted position.

The snatch block constructed as above set forth is designed to be hung from an insulator hanger to permit the Stringing and sagging of the wires, and as one convenient means of eiecting this suspension the bail I3 is provided with a slotin its vertical and horizontal limbs. The slot is substantially T-shaped, having a relatively wide section I9 in the vertical limb through which the hanger button 20, shown in dotted lines, will pass, and a narrow section 2i, which, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, overlies the button 20 and supports the block. The horizontal limb of the bail I3 may, if desired, have a pocket or seat 22 formed on its under surface to receive and center the button 20 and guard against accidental slipping ofthe engaged parts.

Such variations in the structure and assembly here disclosed as involve only the exercise of mechanical skill and fall within the range of the appended claims are to be regarded as within the purview of the invention.

I claim:

1. A snatch block for Stringing Wires comprising a frame, a wire supporting sheave rotatably mounted in said frame, a bail of substantially inverted U-shape having vertical side limbs connected by a transverse limb, one of the vertical limbs being longer than t-he other vertical limb, means pivotally connecting the longer limb to` the frame, the shorter vertical limb being spaced from the frame to provide `an open side to permit a wire to engage said sheave, and a link pivoted on the short vertical limb ofthe bail below the transverse limb and engageable with said frame to close the open side of thebail, said bail having la substantially T-shaped slot, said slot being formed with a wide section in the short vertical limb and a narrow section in the transverse limb for detachably connecting an insulator hanger button to the snatch block to support the same, the parts being constructed and arranged so that the snatch block can be detachably connected to the hanger button without interfering with the connection of the link with the bail.

2. A snatch block. for, Stringing .wires comprising a frame, a wire supporting sleave rotatably mounted in said frame, a bail of substantially inverted U-shape having vertical side limbs connected by a transverse limb, one of the vertical limbs being longer than the other vertical: li'mb,` means pivotalh7 connecting y the frame, the shorter vertical limb being spaced from the frame to provide aniV open'side to permit a wire to engage said sheave, and a link pivoted on the short vertical limb of the bail below the transverse limb and engageable with said frame t'o-closetleopen side of the'baili, said bail havingv a{ substantially 'lf-shaped slot',` saidslot being the longer limb to 4 formed with a wide section in the short vertical limb and a narrow section in the transverse limb for detachably connecting an insulator hanger button to the snatch block to support the same, the underside of the narrow slot section having a pocket for receiving the hanger button to prevent slipping and disengagement of rthe parts, the parts being constructed and arranged so that the snatclrblock can..be detachably, .connected to the hanger button` without interferingwitli the connection of the link With the bail.

CHARLES H. RUE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 821,148 Wheaton May 22, 1906 110345,437 Fultonl et a1 Aug; 6, 19-12` 1,331,629 Eisernan Feb. 24, 192@ 

